Who’s a cheeky monkey? Gorilla at the Bronx Zoo hams it up for the camera and pulls a series of hilarious facial expressions 

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This is the adorable moment a cheeky gorilla played up for the cameras at the Bronx Zoo by poking her tongue out and making funny faces for visitors.

The western lowland gorilla, called Julia, sat down next to tree to relax after a long morning of aping around, but spotted wildlife photographer Michal Samuni-Blank watching her.

Never one to leave an audience disappointed, the 33-year-old playful gorilla started poking her tongue out towards the camera.

From 20 metres away, Ms Samuni-Blank encouraged Julia by copying her hilarious facial expressions as she stood outside the enclosure at the zoo in New York.

The Israeli zoologist said: 'She has a very special personality. She is very outgoing and is one of a few gorillas in the zoo that interacts with the visitors.

'If she is looking at you and you stick your tongue out, most likely she will do the same.

'Knowing Julia for quite a while, I brought a friend with me on this visit and guided her on how to 'play' with Julia. Doing so, I was able to photograph Julia making all these different faces, which was amazing to see.

'I was really amused when I was photographing Julia. I always feel special when the animals in the zoo acknowledge my existence and interact with me.

'I'm actually a scientist but since moving to New York I started practicing my photography skills. It is hard being away from your family and being a stranger in a foreign land, but when I'm photographing the animals it always feels like home.' 

Western lowland gorillas are classified as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and are native to Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Angola, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. 

Cheeky monkey: Julia, a 33-year-old western lowland gorilla, was caught on camera poking her tongue out at the Bronx Zoo, New York

Aping around: Julia made the funny facial expressions after spotting wildlife photographer Michal Samuni-Blank taking photos of her

Monkey business: Ms Samuni-Blank, also an Israeli zoologist, copied Julia's funny faces to encourage her to continue

Julia, who has a reputation for being playful, had sat down next to a tree to relax but quickly got distracted by the camera

Western lowland gorillas are classified as Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and are native to Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Angola, and the Democratic Republic of Congo